Woman charged with failing to provide safe working conditions for helper

SINGAPORE: A 36-year-old woman has been charged with failing to provide her domestic helper with “safe working conditions” after she made the helper clean a second-floor glass ceiling in her house.

According to a news release by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Thursday (May 17), Belinda Huber instructed her maid to clean a glass ceiling located at the second level of her house on four different occasions between early June and Jul 4 last year.

In order to do this, the helper had to stand on the glass ceiling which extended over the porch area of the house.

The manpower ministry said that by instructing the helper to perform such dangerous acts, Huber endangered the worker’s life.

“MOM stopped the foreign domestic worker (FDW) from working for the accused and also imposed an interim employment ban while investigations were ongoing.

“The FDW is currently working for a new employer,” said MOM.

If convicted, Huber can be fined up to S$10,000 and/or jailed up to 12 months. She will also be barred from employing a foreign domestic worker in the future.

The case has been adjourned to Jun 21 for a further mention.

MOM reminded the public that employers have a “legal obligation” to provide safe working conditions and to ensure that their helpers carry out their tasks in accordance with safe work practices as stipulated by the authority.